Patriots College Scouting Director Monti Ossenfort Leaving For Titans

BOSTON (CBS) --The Patriots front office has a big void to fill. College scouting director Monti Ossenfort is reportedly leaving the team to take over as the director of player personnel of the Tennessee Titans.

Ossenfort had been in charge of scouting college football's best prospects for New England since 2014, but his contract expired following the 2020 NFL Draft. With Nick Caserio firmly entrenched as New England's director of player personnel, there wasn't an opportunity for Ossenfort to move up in the Patriots front office.

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer was the first to report Ossenfort's departure from New England.

Ossenfort worked for New England for the last 15 years in a number of different roles and had a hand in four Super Bowl titles. Before taking over as college scouting director, he worked as the assistant director of college scouting and as a national scout. He was a personnel assistant for one year in 2003 before returning to the team in 2006 as an area scout.

He was a popular name among other teams over the offseason, interviewing with the Cleveland Browns for their open GM position a few months ago (Cleveland hired Andrew Berry). The Houston Texans, whom Ossenfort worked for in 2004 and 2005, requested an interview with him during their GM search. The Patriots blocked that request, however.

Ossenfort now joins a pair of other former Patriots -- current Tennessee GM Jon Robinson and head coach Mike Vrabel -- in their quest to lead the Titans to a championship. Robinson and Ossenfort worked together in New England for eight years, as both worked in the college scouting department.

Long-time scouts Brian Smith (college scouting coordinator and the longest-tenured member of the New England's college scouting department) and Dave Ziegler (director of pro personnel in the scouting department) are likely candidates to take over for Ossenfort in New England.